1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an IC (Integrated Circuit) card connector used for insertion and removal of the IC card, and more particularly to an IC card connector to which countermeasures to prevent static electricity is taken and where a grounding terminal member is used for this IC card connector.
2. Description of the Related Art
The make up of a conventional IC card connector is described based on FIG.""s 13 and 14. U-shaped housing 121 made up of a molding of synthetic resin has a base section 121a and a guide section 121b extending toward the front direction from both side sections of the base section 121a. Further, a plurality of metallic pin terminals 122 are mounted in such a way that respective contact sections thereof are in the rear (right side of FIG. 13) and respective terminal sections 122a thereof are in the front, and the pin terminals 122 are buried in the base section 121a of the housing 121 in a parallel arrangement in the lateral direction. Furthermore, a pair of mounting member 123 made of metallic piece is mounted on both side sections in front of the housing 121.
As illustrated in FIG. 14, a shielding plate 124 made of metallic plate has a top surface plate 124a, a plurality of bent tongue shaped pieces 124b provided at the top surface plate 124a, C-shaped mounting sections 124c provided at both side sections of the top surface plate 124a. Further, the shielding plate 124 is combined with the housing 121 while allowing the mounting section 124c to be fitted to a peripheral surface of the guide section 121b in such a way as to cover a top surface of the base section 121a of the housing 121 by use of the top surface plate 124a, so that the top surface of the housing 121 becomes electrically shielded by the shielding plate 124.
A pair of guide members 125 made up of the molding of the synthetic resin have a guide section 125a that has C-shape cross section and a mounting section 125b extending in forward direction. The pair of guide member 125 is integrated with the housing 121 in such a way as to recess the mounting section 125b into the guide section 121b of the housing 121.
Further, a pair of contact pieces 126a, 126b made of metal plate are bent in opposite direction with each other and top sections thereof become contact sections. Furthermore, parts of the pair of contact pieces 126a, 126b extend in perpendicular direction to come into contact with circuit substrate described later.
Moreover, the pair of the contact pieces 126a, 126b are mounted on the pair of guide members 125, and parts of the contact pieces are exposed from opening sections which are not illustrated formed at the guide section 125a to come into contact electrically with an IC card, which is inserted, described later.
Then, the IC card connector having such a constitution is incorporated into an electronic apparatus to be used, and its incorporation is performed in such a way that terminal section 122a of the pin terminal 122 is connected to conductive pattern 128 provided on the circuit substrate 127, and one pair of mounting members 123 are mounted on the conductive pattern 128 with the mounting member 123 soldered. Further, a rectangular shaped IC card 30 used for such electronic apparatus is provided with a contact section capable of being connected to the pin terminal 122 at front section thereof and is provided with one pair of grounding terminals 31 at both side sections thereof.
Although the IC card 30 is used in such a way as to be inserted into or removed from the IC card connector, the IC card 30 is invariably inserted into the IC card connector using the guide section 125a of the guide member 125 as a guide. Further, when advancing the insertion of the IC card 30, a pointed end section thereof is inserted using the guide section 121b of the housing 121 as a guide. The insertion is completed when the contact section of the IC card 30 comes into contact with the pin terminal 122.
Furthermore, when the IC card 30 is completely inserted, the grounding terminal 31 of the IC card 30 comes into contact with the contact pieces 126a, 126b, while the IC card 30 simultaneously becomes elastically supported by the bent tongue shaped piece 124b. Further, the IC card 30 is capable of being pulled out from the IC card connector by hand, with the housing 121 and the guide member 125 as the guides are.
Now, since the pair of contact pieces 126a, 126b are shape differently from each other, dies for manufacturing each contact piece is prepared separately. The contact pieces 126a, 126b are made by undergo presswork utilizing each different die.
Thus, since it is necessary to prepare two kinds of dies in compliance with the contact pieces 126a, 126b, there is the problem of the time and the expense are required for manufacturing the dies.
Furthermore, the contact pieces 126a, 126b are small parts, accordingly, it is necessary to assemble the contact pieces 126a, 126b into the guide sections 125a, 125a by hands, for that reason, there is a possibility that the contact pieces 126a, 126b may be accidentally mounted on the opposite end of the guide sections 125a, 125a. 
Moreover, when the pair of contact pieces 126a, 126b are mounted on the guide sections 125a, 125a respectively, subsequently, it was necessary to use a jig when the connector is made to fix the connector on the circuit substrate 127 by use of the screws and so forth which are not illustrated.
In view of the foregoing it is an object of the present invention to provide an IC card connector provided with grounding terminal members where a right side grounding terminal member and left side grounding terminal member are formed to have a simple structure and common shape, to reduce cost and allow easier assembly.
As a first solution for solving at least one of the aforementioned problems, there is provided a grounding terminal member while blanking a metal plate that is provided integrally with a leg section, a flat board shaped arm section, and first and second expanded sections being expanded outward at inside and outside of the arm section, wherein the leg section is made to ground, and any one of the first and the second expanded sections is made to elastically come into contact with a grounding terminal of electronic components.
As a second solution, there is provided an IC card connector that uses the grounding terminal member described in the first solution, comprising a housing on which a plurality of pin terminals are mounted and a frame which is mounted on the housing, wherein a pair of guide sections which are used at the time that the IC card is inserted and removed are provided longitudinally at both side sections of the frame, and the arm section of the grounding terminal member is mounted on the respective guide sections. The IC card is made to insert between the respective guide sections, and a grounding terminal of one side section of the IC card is made to come into contact with the first expanded section, while a grounding terminal of opposite side section to the one side section is made to come into contact with the second expanded section.
As a third solution, there is provided an IC card connector, in the second solution, wherein the housing is made to mount on a circuit substrate, subsequently, allowing pointed end of the leg section of the grounding terminal member to be projected from the guide section to establish continuity between the pointed end and a grounded pattern of the circuit substrate.
As a fourth solution, there is provided an IC card connector, in the second solution, wherein supporting leg sections are provided at both side sections of the frame, and pointed ends of the supporting leg sections are placed on the surface of the circuit substrate, thus allowing the pointed end of the leg sections of the grounding terminal member to be projected from the supporting leg sections.
As a fifth solution, there is provided an IC card connector, in the second solution, wherein engaging claws are formed at pointed ends of the leg sections, and the engaging claws are made to insert into hole sections of the circuit substrate to engage the guide section to the circuit substrate.